Shielding device for intravenous feeding apparatus



July 13, 1965 E. A. COOKE 3,194,235

SHIELDING DEVICE FOR INTRAVENOUS FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1965 K WI EDITH A. COO/(E INVENTOR .4 TTORNE'VS United States Patent 3,194,235 SHIELDING DEVICE FOR INTRAVENOUS FEEDING APPARATUS Edith A. Cooke, 3636 Lamona St., Fresno, Calif. Filed Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 367,513 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-432) The present invention relates to'a shielding device for protecting infusion needles during intravenous feeding operations and the like and more particularly to such a shielding device which effectively protects the needle from dislocation after initial placement.

Infusion needles employed in the intravenous feeding of blood, plasma, glucose water, salt water, and the like are difiicult to maintain in their intended positions within the vein of a patient.- In conventional practice, the needle is connected to a flexible supply hose leading from a source of feeding liquid. The needle is inserted into the vein of the patient and constrained in such position by a strip of adhesive tape. A supply hose is usually coiled closely adjacent to the needle to permit limited axial movement of the hose without disturbing the needle and is held in place by a second strip of adhesive tape overlaying the first strip of adhesive tape. With such arrangement, the needle remains substantially exposed and may be easily jarred, bumped, and loosened by inadvertent movement of the patient. Serious injury may result by movement of the needle within the vein or if completely dislodged therefrom, the feeding material may be lost and the patient deprived of liquid essential to sustain his life. Such problems are especially prevalent during the intravenous feeding of infants, which are difficult to immobilize during such operation.

Therefore, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide an improved shielding device for infusion needles.

Another object is to provide a shielding device which substantially precludes inadvertent dislocation of such a needle during intravenous feeding operations.

Another object is to provide a shielding device capable of effectively isolating an infusion needle which absorbs shocks from inadvertent contact of the feeding area with adjacent objects or attendants.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will subsequently become more clearly apparent upon reference to the following description in the specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the shielding device of the present invention disposed in covering relation to an infusion needle and supply hose on a fragmentary representation of a body portion of a patient.

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the shielding device, taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the shielding device, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shielding device displaced from the feeding area with its assembled operating position on the body portion of a patient indicated by dashed lines.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a shielding device embodying the principles of the present invention provides a hollow elongated cup of unitary construction having a wall 12 of substantially stiff material such as plastic, lightweight metal, or the like. The wall is formed in a pair of conical segments providing a head segment 14 and a body segment 15 which are oppositely tapered from a common integral base line 16 and with the head segment being of more abrupt taper than the body segment;

The wall 12 forming the segments 14 and 15 has a continuous oval-shaped lower marginal edge 18. A con- 5 of such arcuate portions is disposed at opposite ends of the base line 16 with a third such arcuate portion disposed in the head segment 14 along the longitudinal axis of the cup. A plurality of circular apertures 27 are formed through the wall 12 in the body segment 15 of the cup to ventilate the interior thereof.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the shielding device is adapted to be rested on the body portion 23 of a patient in the position indicated by a dashed line 30 in covering relation to an injection needle 32 having a handle 33. The needle is connected to a supply hose 34 having an extended connecting end 35 adapted to be coupled with a source of infusion liquid, not shown. The needle and supply hose are individually secured to the body portion of the patient by two strips of adhesive tape 37 and 38.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. The needle 32 is inserted into a blood vessel in the body portion 23 of the patient by manipulation of the handle 33 thereof and is constrained in the position shown in FIG. 4 by the strip of adhesive tape 37. The supply hose 34 connected to the needle is coiled in a substantially flat coil around the handle and secured by the second strip of adhesive 38 in overlaying relation to the first strip 37. The elongated cup 10 of the shielding device is then disposed in covering relation to the needle in the dashed line position 30 of FIG. 4. In such position, the supply hose 34 is extended outwardly of the cup through one of the arcuate portions 25 in the flange 20. The shielding device is held in covering relation to the needle by a pair of strips of adhesive tape 40 and 42. The strip 40 of adhesive tape is positioned flatly against the conical body segment of the wall 12 with the ends thereof adhesively engaging the body portion 23 of the patient. Similarly, the strip of adhesive tape 42 is disposed flatly against the conical head segment of the wall 12 and the ends thereof extended outwardly of the cup adhesively to engage the body portion of the patient. It is noted that the mounting strips of adhesive tape 4t and 42 readily conform to the conical shape of the head and body segments of the wall with a minimum of wrinkling which also tend to provide opposite inwardly directed thrust forces on the cup to insure maximum immobility of the cup on the body portion of the patient. The body portion of the patient covered by the shielding device is permitted to breathe by way of the apertures 27 in the wall 12 thereof so as not to be adversely afiected during extended periods of use.

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the structure of the present invention has provided an improved shielding device for infusion needles which is effective to preclude inadvertent dislocation of the needle after initial placement. Further, the shield readily absorbs shock forces thereagainst and is effective to isolate the needle from such shocks.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what -I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shielding device for protecting an infusion needle disposed through a body portion and into a vein of a patient during intravenous feeding from an infusion tub- 111g connected'to such a needle',1whi 5h comprises a hollow cup of unitary construction having a wall of substantially 'stifi material, said cup comprising a frustoconical body," segment and an integral frusto'conical head segment which are oppositely tapered from:a common rintegralzbase'lin'e; said head segment having a more abrupt taper-than-th'e I taper: of s'aid body segment, said'body segment having -a plurality of apertures therein for ventilation and said walli providing a continuous lower edge defined by the basesof said'body segment and. 'said'head segment an integral flange extended from said'lower edge defining a substantially planar basefor thewall torest against the body-portion of the patient with-the wall in spaced covering relato saidneedle when said needle is disposed through'the body portion andrinto the Vein of the patient, said flange being provided with a plurality of indentationsbeing adapted to receive the infusion tubing therethroughand to holdlth'e tubing inrf reely axially sliding relation and: said indentations being spaced around the base'of the cup so jihat atleast one indentation is located in the base'of the head segment and at leastone indentation islo cated along the conimonrintegral baseline oi'the twosegrn ent's, j r and connectingmeans mounted'on said walljto holdthei cupon the body portion of; the" patient:

2.f The device of claim 1 wherein saidjmeans':foriholding the cup against the [patient comprises aiplu rality-ofi g ,adhesivetape' strips.{ 2 l V L p 7 3. The device. of claimsli wherein the; hollow cup :is .plastiei i 2' n a e V 4, The device of 61311111 1 wherein. two indentations are],

located along the ,comnton integralbase'line.

V -lieferences lCitedfby the-Examineril f UN ED ST ES :PATENTS t;-

RICHARD A'.-"GAUDE;T, .Primar iini i z'eni 

1. A SHIELDING DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AN INFUSION NEEDLE DISPOSED THROUGH A BODY PORTION AN D INTO A VEIN OF A PATIENT DURING INTRAVENOUS FEEDING FROM AN INFUSION TUBING CONNECTED TO SUCH A NEEDLE, WHICH COMPRISES A HOLLOW CUP OF UNITARY CONSTRUCTION HAVING A WALL OF SUBSTANTIALLY STIFF MATERIAL, SAID CUP COMPRISING A FRUSTOCONICAL BODY SEGMENT AND AN INTEGRAL FRUSTOCONICAL HEAD SEGMENT WHICH ARE OPPOSITELY TAPERED FROM A COMMON INTEGRAL BASE LINE, SAID HEAD SEGMENT HAVING A MORE ABRUPT TAPER THAN THE TAPER OF SAID BODY SEGMENT, SAID BODY SEGMENT HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES THEREIN FOR VENTILATION AND SAID WALL PROVIDING A CONTINUOUS LOWER EDGE DEFINED BY THE BASES OF SAID BODY SEGMENT AND SAID HEAD SEGMENT, AN INTEGRAL FLANGE EXTENDED FROM SAID LOWER EDGE DEFINING A SUBSTAN- 